FranceBusiness and self-employment

France investor visa (Talent investment)

Talent residence card – economic investment (investisseur)

In short

Foreign investors who invest at least EUR 300,000 in France, personally or through a company they run or hold at least 30 % of, and create or preserve jobs, can obtain a Talent card valid up to four years for themselves and their family. It is not a property-purchase scheme.

Apply on France-Visas (official visa portal) checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Validity
Up to four years.
Fee
€99Long-stay visa fee; in France the multi-year Talent card costs EUR 350 (EUR 300 tax + EUR 50 stamp duty).
Funds required
€300,000Minimum productive investment in France, with job creation or preservation.
Family
Spouse and minor children receive a "talent – family" card through the simplified accompanying-family procedure, with the right to work.
Path to permanent residence
After five years of lawful residence: 10-year resident card or EU long-term resident card, with B1 French and the civic exam.
Where to apply
France-Visas, then the French consulate or its visa application centre in your country of residence.

Conditions

The investment must be at least EUR 300,000 in tangible or intangible fixed assets in France, made personally or through a company you manage or in which you hold at least 30 % of the capital, and it must create or safeguard jobs. Buying a home does not qualify.

Documents for the investment route

Besides the standard long-stay file, you show that you personally manage a company or hold at least 30 % of its capital, or that the investment is personal; proof that you have made, or undertake to make, a direct investment of at least EUR 300,000 in France; a letter of commitment setting out the yearly job creation and your investment plan (business plan); and evidence that jobs are created or safeguarded, or an undertaking to do so, within the four years following the investment.

Required documents

Identity

  • France-Visas long-stay form and receipt, signed
  • Passport valid for the stay, issued less than 10 years ago, with copies
  • Recent ICAO-standard photo and proof of legal residence in the country where you apply

Money

  • Proof of the EUR 300,000 investment and its source

Work

  • Company documents showing management or at least 30 % ownership
  • Evidence of jobs created or preserved
  • Letter of commitment with yearly job creation and the investment plan

Visa and card

You apply at the French consulate in your country of residence. For a stay of one year or more, the consulate issues a three-month long-stay visa with the "talent" mention, and you then request the multi-year card online on the ANEF website within two months of entering France. For a stay of less than 12 months, a VLS-TS with the "talent" mention is issued and validated online within three months of arrival.

  1. Create your long-stay application on France-Visas, choosing the "Talent – economic investor" purpose, and print the form and receipt.
  2. Book an appointment with the French consulate or the visa application centre it uses in your country of residence, and attend in person with originals and copies.
  3. Pay the visa fee and give fingerprints; the consulate decides on the long-stay visa valid as a residence permit (VLS-TS).
  4. Within three months of arriving in France, validate the VLS-TS online on the ANEF website and pay the residence tax.
  5. Attend the OFII appointments if you are summoned (medical visit, integration contract where applicable).
  6. Apply online for the residence card between four and two months before the VLS-TS expires.

After arrival: VLS-TS, OFII and residence card

Validate the VLS-TS online on the ANEF website within three months of arrival and pay the residence tax; without validation you are not lawfully resident and cannot travel back to France after leaving. OFII may summon you for a medical visit. Apply online for the next card between four and two months before the visa expires.

Family

Spouses and minor children of Talent card holders can travel with you or join later under the simplified accompanying-family procedure, without going through family reunification. They receive a multi-year "talent – family" card that allows them to work.

Refusal

If the prefecture does not answer, the application is deemed refused after four months for most Talent categories, 90 days for the EU Blue Card and 60 days for researchers; you then have two months to appeal. Visa refusals by the consulate first go through the mandatory administrative appeal stated in the notice.

Frequently asked questions

Does buying property in France qualify?

No. The investment must be productive and linked to jobs.

What is the minimum amount?

EUR 300,000 of productive investment.

Does France have a golden visa?

There is no residence-by-property scheme; this investor route is the official alternative.

How long do I have to create the jobs?

Jobs must be created or safeguarded, or you must undertake to do so, within the four years following the investment.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for France

Visits and short stays

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Validity: VLS-TS from four months to one year; then a one-year card, followed by a multi-year card for the rest of the degree.
  • Researcher visa Validity: Length of the hosting agreement, up to four years.
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Company internship: six months initially; continuing training: 12 months, renewable once up to 18 months.

Work

  • Work visa Validity: First year on the VLS-TS; then a four-year multi-year card for permanent employees still in the job, or a card matching the fixed-term contract.
  • Skilled worker visa Validity: Length of the contract, up to four years.
  • EU Blue Card Validity: Contracts of two years or more: length of the contract up to four years; shorter contracts: contract plus three months, up to two years.
  • Intra-company transfer visa Validity: Length of the assignment, up to three years, minus time already spent on the visa; not renewable.

Family

  • Family reunification visa Processing time: The mayor checks resources and housing within two months; the prefect decides within six months of the complete file reaching OFII (silence means refusal).
  • Spouse and partner visa Validity: VLS-TS valid one year; then a multi-year card of two to four years.

Residence

  • Retirement visa Validity: VLS-TS for the first year, then a renewable one-year card.
  • Permanent residence Validity: 10 years, renewable. The EU card lapses after more than three consecutive years outside the EU or six years outside France; the ordinary resident card after more than three consecutive years outside France.

Protection

France visa guide